Frequently Asked Questions Pt. 2
See photos of pigeon spikes installed. Ask us a question - 2hr response
This “FAQ’S
Part 2” section has been kindly written for us by Guy Merchant of the Pigeon Control Advisory Service.
www.picas.org.uk Guy is widely regarded as one of the worlds leading
authorities on pigeon control.
Pigeons Today: Pigeon Feeders and Food Sources
So, apart from the extensive roosts and nesting sites available to pigeons in towns and cities, how are the birds sustained?
The common misconception is that pigeons are sustained on scraps of food courtesy of
people littering, or people sharing their lunchtime sandwich in the park or as a result of poor
housekeeping on the part of fast food restaurants.
This is incorrect, at least in part. A vast
majority of pigeons are sustained, almost exclusively,
by deliberate and persistent feeding on the
part of a small number of individuals, normally
elderly or single people. These people will
go out every day, 7 days a week, to feed their
friends and
will normally not only feed extremely high
quality food such as grain and corn but also
very large quantities of it. In the city of
Melbourne, Australia, one gentleman arrives
in the city centre each day, from the suburbs
where he lives, and brings in 40 kilos of prime
pigeon food which he proceeds to distribute
at 4 highly sensitive locations within the
central business district of the city. As a
result there is a city centre flock numbering
many thousands of pigeons who exploit this
food source each day. Based on the British
Racing Pigeon Association figures, an adult
pigeon can survive on 13 grams of seed each
day and therefore, the 40 kilos of seed fed
to pigeons in Melbourne city centre could,
in reality, sustain over 3000 pigeons.
So, how do we control food sources available
to pigeons?
In the main this is the preserve
of town and city Councils as they are the only
bodies that can implement area-wide pigeon
controls. If you feel that you have a general
problem in your area you should start by protecting
your own property with deterrents, ideally
Pigeonoff ™ Spikes,
but in order to ensure that the problem is
also dealt with at source you should also contact
your local council and ask them what they are
doing to resolve the problem of available food.
PiCAS UK offers a free expert service to all
UK based councils and public bodies and PiCAS’ recommended
controls, when used in conjunction with deterrents,
are widely recognised to be the only effective
method of reducing the size of urban pigeon
flocks.
What type of food will pigeons usually
exploit?
Pigeons have learned to exploit
multiple food sources and although their natural
diet would be made up of seeds and grains (when
in season) they will exploit just about any
food available to them including fast food
refuse, bread, household scraps and even worms
and insects when there is little or no other
food available. As previously mentioned, however,
deliberate feeding is the main source of food
for urban flocks of pigeons. The other common
food sources are food preparation outlets,
retail food outlets, granaries, ports where
foodstuffs are imported/exported and grain
silos. Pigeons rarely, if ever, feed in rural
areas, exploiting crops in fields, but when
food is in short supply in urban areas some
birds may resort to exploiting this food source.
When flocks of pigeons are seen feeding in
agricultural areas these birds are most likely
to be domesticated racing pigeons and not their
feral cousins.
Pigeon Control
So, we know that pigeons need very little
food in order to survive, but why do we still
have such huge flocks worldwide when pest
control companies kill millions of pigeons
every year in control operations?
This is because pigeon numbers are dictated,
absolutely, by available food. If pigeons are
killed as a method of control the culled birds
will be replaced within a matter of weeks. In
fact scientific research has shown that when culling
is used as a method of control pigeon flock size
will, in most cases, increase above and beyond
the pre-cull figure resulting in exacerbated problems
for property owners rather than the reverse. Where
the food supply remains constant, pigeons will
breed 4-6 times a year on average producing two
young each time (in optimum conditions pigeons
can breed more frequently). If, however, the food
source is reduced, pigeon numbers will drop accordingly.
Pigeons will not breed if they are unable
to exploit enough food to feed their young. Therefore,
it is clear that many of the methods employed
in the name of pigeon control are ineffective.
The most commonly used control worldwide is culling,
which is, in the opinion of the Pigeon Control
Advisory Service (PiCAS), the largest contributory
factor in the growth of pigeon flocks worldwide.
Problems with Pigeons: Deterrents
and their Installation
So, if we can control flock
size simply by reducing food, what deterrents
are there that will offer complete protection
for a property upon which pigeons are either
roosting or breeding, or both?
The only main-stream pigeon
deterrent that PiCAS will recommend is the
pigeon spike, or Pigeonoff™ Spike.
This product is 100% effective if installed
correctly (and in the right area of the property)
and is not only inexpensive to buy but is extremely easy
to install. Where most residential properties
are concerned, the owner can install the product
without the need to go to a specialist company – if
you can climb a ladder you can install Pigeonoff™ Spikes.
In many cases commercial property owners can
also install the product in house, but
if the property is a high-rise building or
of a complex architectural nature, advice may
be required from PiCAS UK. Any UK home owner
can contact PiCAS for expert and specialist
advice and all advice provided is free of charge
due to PiCAS’ non-profit making status.
PiCAS are recommended by many agencies worldwide
including the Royal Society for the Protection
of Birds (RSPB) and the Royal Society for the
Protection of Animals (RSPCA) as well as the
Humane Society and People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals (PETA).
So, if you think I have a problem with
pigeons where do I start?
In many cases it may be wise
to seek expert advice from PiCAS UK if the
problem is entrenched or if you are unaware
exactly how bad the problem is, or if indeed
you have a problem at all! If the problem is
obvious, i.e. if pigeons are roosting on a
window ledge and soiling the building below,
then you can proceed by visiting/contacting
Pigeonoff.co.uk and ordering the appropriate
metreage of Pigeonoff™ Spikes
once you have measured the width and depth
of the area that is to be protected. The spikes
will arrive with full installation instructions
and if you experience any unforeseen problems
when installing the spikes Pigeonoff™ or
PiCAS will provide the necessary advice. One
very important point to remember; make absolutely
sure that if there is a recess in which you
believe pigeons are breeding or roosting you
should thoroughly investigate
the recess prior to installing Pigeonoff™ Spikes
or blocking up the hole to exclude pigeons.
If you suspect that there are pigeons in situ
you should either contact PiCAS UK for advice
or better still, find a local wildlife rehabilitator
in your area who will humanely remove the pigeon
squabs (pigeon chicks) and take them away to
be hand-reared and eventually released. Many
property owners find that they have pigeons
inside their roof void or attic; in this case
it is critical to have the roof void surveyed,
ideally by an experienced person or a wildlife
rehabilitator, ensuring that all dependant
and flightless birds are excluded prior to
excluding the resident adult pigeons. It is
extremely important to remember that pigeons
breed all year round and therefore
there will never be a time when you are safe
to install deterrents without first surveying
the area to ensure no dependent young are in
situ. Although the height of the breeding period
is usually throughout the months of March through
to October, it is common to see pigeon squabs
in nests in mid-winter.
Handy Installation Tips and more FAQ’s
I have pigeons on my roof – can
I resolve this problem and if so how?
If pigeons are regularly roosting on a roof
it means they are there for one of three reasons:
- Because the roof provides them with a
vantage point overlooking a well used feeding
area
- Because pigeons have accessed the roof
void itself (attic space) and are breeding
within
- Because the roof provides a view of a
neighbour’s yard where there is a bird
feeding station
In each case the source of the problem needs
to be resolved as it is impossible to protect
a roof against bird occupancy. Some contractors
advise netting for this purpose but we would
strongly advise against netting as it rarely
resolves the problem, it is extremely expensive
to install and netting degrades very rapidly.
The only area of a roof that can be protected
is the gutter and this should be protected
with appropriate Pigeonoff™ Spikes in
conjunction with Pigeonoff™ Gutter Clips.
I have pigeons roosting on my TV Ariel – can
I use Pigeonoff™ Spikes?
Yes, Pigeonoff™ Spikes are ideal for
this purpose. The spikes are best installed
by using an electrical cable tie wrapped around
the base of the spike and then around the Ariel
itself.
I have pigeons perching on my windowsill
- can I protect the sill with Pigeonoff™ Spikes?
Yes, Pigeonoff™ Spikes are ideal for
this purpose and the spikes should be placed
on the window sill itself assuming that the
window opens inwards or upwards. If the window
opens outwards it will be necessary to attach
the spikes on the base of the window frame
so that when the window is opened the spikes
move outwards as the window does. Silicone
should be used to attach the spikes to the
window frame but if the window frame is wooden
they can be screwed in place as well and/or
instead of, using silicone.
I think I have pigeons nesting in my gutter – is
this possible?
It is rare for pigeons to nest in a gutter
unless the gutter is well protected from the
elements. It is possible, however, particularly
in guttering on old Victorian style properties.
This problem is simple to resolve using Pigeonoff™ Spikes
in conjunction with the Pigeonoff™ Gutter
Clips. The Pigeonoff™ Spikes will not
only stop pigeons nesting in the gutter but
also stop pigeons perching on the lip of the
gutter and fouling areas below the gutter.
I have been told to protect my property
using netting – is this the best option?
In the opinion of the Pigeon Control Advisory
Service (PiCAS), netting should never be used
for a variety of reasons but predominantly
on the grounds of cost and also the speed at
which nylon (polypropylene) netting degrades.
In a vast majority of cases Pigeonoff Spikes
can be used in areas where netting has been
advised. If netting appears to be the only
option due to the fact that it would be impossible
to install Pigeonoff™ Spikes, PiCAS always
recommends galvanized steel mesh which is at
a similar cost as nylon netting but which remains
effective for considerably longer
than nylon netting does.
I have birds nesting in my chimney – can
I use Pigeonoff™ Spikes?
Yes, Pigeonoff™ are in
the process of producing a new product for
this purpose – please
see the main section of the website for details.
It is worth pointing out that pigeons do not
nest in chimney pots but other species of birds
do – Jackdaws in particular.
I have pigeon excrement on my ground floor
window sills – does this mean I should
protect the sills with Pigeonoff™ Spikes?
Yes, Pigeonoff™ Spikes
are ideal for this purpose but be aware that
pigeons rarely, if ever, roost or nest on ground
floor windows so the areas to be protected
will almost certainly be the upper floor window
sills or other perching places such as external
pipe work. Pigeons will normally choose the
highest point on a building to roost or nest
and that should be the first area to investigate.
I have pigeon excrement on the ground
at the side of my house but there are no
windowsills or obvious perching places – where
are the pigeons perching?
It is likely that if there is
exposed external pipe work on the side wall
of the house this is where the birds will be
roosting. Pigeonoff™ Spikes
can be easily installed on the pipe work to
resolve the problem. A special Pigeonoff™ Spike
has been produced precisely for this purpose
and should be installed by using silicone and
then an electrical cable tie to ensure the
spikes remain in situ.
If there is no exposed external pipe work
it is likely that the birds will either be
roosting under the gable on one of the roof
joists that protrude through the brickwork
and support the roof overhang or within the
roof space itself or possibly within the soffit
board, if one exists. The areas under the gable
can easily be protected using Pigeonoff™ Spikes
but if the birds have entered the roof space
itself, the entry hole must be found and blocked
once a thorough survey of the internal roof
void has been carried out to ensure that no
live birds or nests exist.
I see pigeons fly into an
area below my guttering and disappear – do
I need to take action?
It is likely that pigeons have found a hole
in a soffit board (the box section that runs
under the gutter the full length of the house)
and are using the space for nesting and roosting.
Pigeonoff™ Spikes are not appropriate
in terms of dealing with this problem. The
entire length of the soffit board must be inspected
to ensure no live birds are present, with particular
attention to young in nests, and then the soffit
board must either be removed and replaced or
repaired.
I have a Dormer window on my roof and
pigeons appear to be roosting under the overhang
of the gutter – is this possible?
Yes, pigeons often roost or
even nest under the overhang created by the
gutter on a Dormer window. First check to ensure
that there are no live birds or nests under
the overhang and then simply install Pigeonoff™ Spikes
directly to the roof tiles running them down
each side of the Dormer window covering an
area of approx. 12 inches from the side wall
of the Dormer. Once the overhang is protected
pigeons will move elsewhere.
What do I do if I find a pigeon nest in
an area where I am intending to install Pigeonoff™ Spikes?
It is extremely common to find
pigeon nests with young present on buildings
and due to the fact that pigeons breed all
year around there is never a time that you
can install deterrents when there will not
be pigeon chicks in nests. If you do find a
nest and cannot wait until the chicks are fledged,
you should first try to find a wildlife rehabilitator
in your area who may be able to remove the
chicks and take them away to be hand-reared.
If you draw a blank please contact PiCAS UK
in the first instance (contact details at the
end of this page) and they may be able to assist.
Diseases
I often read that pigeons spread disease,
therefore, am I safe to install Pigeonoff™ Spikes?
It is another misconception that pigeons
are capable of spreading disease to human beings. All wild
birds (including garden birds) have the potential
to carry and pass on diseases to human beings
and indeed other birds or animals, but the
likelihood of this happening is virtually zero.
To put the risk into perspective, caged birds
are far more likely to pass on a disease to
a human being than a pigeon or any other wild
bird. In fact it is a commonly held view that
salmonella, one of the diseases associated
with pigeons, is far more likely to be contracted
by human beings through eating supermarket
eggs or chicken than through contact with wild
birds
Where pigeon excrement is concerned, if it
is ingested it may cause a mild stomach upset
but nothing more. If pigeon excrement is very well
dried (wet excrement is harmless unless ingested)
and if it exists is large quantities, it can
cause mild respiratory problems if inhaled
for long periods. Pigeon fanciers are at greatest
risk where the transmission of disease is concerned
and if pigeon lofts are not cleaned regularly,
pigeon fanciers are exposed to the possibility
of contracting respiratory diseases as a result
of breathing in the dust that is created by
well-dried pigeon excrement. It must be recognized,
however, that any individual contracting a
respiratory disease from contact with pigeons
must have been exposed to large quantities
of very well dried pigeon excrement for long
periods without the benefit of protective
clothing. There has only been one case, worldwide,
of a person dying from contact with pigeon
excrement and this was a lady in the Netherlands
who had a severe allergy to pigeon excrement
and died from a massive allergic reaction when
coming into contact with a small quantity of
pigeon excrement. Common sense measures such
as wearing gloves and overalls when installing
spikes, and possibly also wearing a paper breathing
mask, are all the precautions that it is necessary
to take. Even these precautions are, broadly
speaking, unnecessary as long as hands are
washed thoroughly after installation. There
is also no need to use a specialist disinfectant
or cleaning agent when clearing pigeon excrement
and preparing surfaces in order to install
spikes – hot soapy with water with a
splash of household disinfectant is all that
is required. If you have any concerns or doubts
PiCAS will be happy to provide advice.
Pest Control Companies
What other control options are available
to me and should I seek the advice of a pest
control company?
Where independent and non-commercially biased
advice is sought, PiCAS should always be contacted
in the first instance – pest control
companies have a vested interest and therefore
their advice may not always be in the best
interest of their client. There are a vast
number of different pigeon deterrents and controls
available within the pest control marketplace
and for a full list of these products and a
brief description of their uses and effectiveness,
please see the PiCAS UK website at: www.picasuk.com
About The Pigeon
Control Advisory Service:
The Pigeon Control Advisory Service is a
group of organisations set up to provide advice
on all aspects of non-lethal and humane bird
control, but specialising in the control of
pigeons. PiCAS consists of three separate organisations
working alongside each other with PiCAS UK
servicing the needs of all United Kingdom-based
clients, PiCAS USA servicing the needs of all
US and Canadian based clients and PiCAS International,
the umbrella organisation, dealing with clients
worldwide. With the exception of the United
Kingdom, where PiCAS operates on a commercial
basis, PiCAS offers a not for profit service
to its client base in the USA and worldwide
charging only travel expenses where a site
visit or survey is required.
PiCAS will provide advice on the control
of all feral bird species including
waterfowl, seagulls, starlings etc and was
formed to deal with an ever-increasing demand
for advice on humane and effective alternatives
to lethal control. PICAS will provide expert
advice endorsing scientifically proven methods
of control and due to its independent status,
all advice provided is completely free from
commercial bias. Working directly with councils
and large commercial organisations worldwide,
our current list of clients includes town and
city councils, city centre management agencies,
Housing Associations and hospitals. PiCAS are
also recommended by many national and international
agencies worldwide such as the Humane Society
of America, the Royal Society for the Protection
of Birds (RSPB) and the Royal Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
(PETA).
PiCAS will provide each client with a comprehensive
control programme tailored to meet their specific
needs and requirements. Each control programme
is designed to effect a long-term and permanent
reduction in bird numbers, unlike lethal control
options which have the opposite effect. Site
visits can be arranged at which time a consultant
will discuss all aspects of existing and past
control mechanisms and carry out a site survey
where required. PiCAS will then work with the
client on an open-ended basis to assist with
the implementation of any recommendations provided.
PiCAS restricts service to those clients that
are prepared to commit to a wholly non-lethal
bird control system. PiCAS will not work with
any client that is actively using lethal methods
of bird control.
Contact PiCAS
PICAS UK can be contacted at:
Web: www.picasuk.com
Email: enquiries@picasuk.com
PiCAS International can be contacted at:
International Website: www.picas.org.uk
Email: enquiries@picas.org.uk
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